REPORT OF THE MCS WORKING PARTIES TO LUNDY 1997 - 2001 ROBERT IRVING & KATE NORTHEN (eds.) JULY 2004 REPORT OF THE MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY WORKING PARTIES TO LUNDY, 1997 - 2001 ROBERT IRVING & KATE NORTHEN (eds.) JULY 2004 Combe Lodge Marine Conservation Society Bampton Unit 3, Wolf Business Park Devon Alton Road EX16 9LB Ross-on-Wye HR9 5BN Tel. 01398 332267 Tel. 01989 566017 [email protected] [email protected] Reference: Irving, R.A. & Northen, K.O. (eds.) 2004. Report of the Marine Conservation Society Working Parties to Lundy, 1997-2001. Unpublished report to English Nature (Devon Team). SUMMARY A total of 50 individual volunteer divers, all members of the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), took part in 5-day long conservation working parties within the Lundy Marine Nature Reserve annually between 1995 and 2001. Over this period of time, a total of 24 projects were undertaken, some being one-off tasks whilst others continued on a year-on-year basis. Eighteen of these projects, undertaken between 1997 and 2001, are described in this report (the remainder being described elsewhere in other reports). The projects were decided upon in consultation with English Nature (Exeter & Peterborough offices), the country agency responsible for the management of the MNR, and the MNR Warden, Liza Cole. The volunteer divers were of mixed diving experience (though all were of at least BSAC sports diver grade or equivalent qualifications) and of mixed marine biological expertise. The trips were organised by Robert Irving, a marine environmental consultant and Secretary to the Lundy Marine Nature Reserve Advisory Group, as part-working party and part-holiday. Volunteers were given the opportunity to learn sublittoral survey techniques and to undertake conservation-orientated projects whilst making a positive contribution towards the management of the MNR. Those with underwater cameras also had the opportunity to take photographs, some of which are featured in this report. In most years the groups operated from a liveaboard vessel (being the most cost-effective and time-efficient means of running such a diving trip at Lundy), though having arrived at the island, use was made of the Warden’s RIB for daily diving operations. Sites visited were mostly off the island’s east coast (the sheltered side of the island), though visits were also made to the west coast if weather conditions allowed. The projects undertaken by the groups included: • Assessing the size structure of sea fans Eunicella verrucosa • Assessing the overall condition of sea fans Eunicella verrucosa • Checking for the presence of Tritonia nilsodhneri and Amphianthus dohrnii on sea fans. • Assessing the distribution of populations of the sunset cup coral Leptopsammia pruvoti off the island’s east coast. • Searching for Leptopsammia pruvoti populations off the island’s west coast. • Assessing the ‘colonisation’ of Caryophyllia and Leptopsammia cup corals by barnacles and phoronid worms. • Re-photographing circalittoral communities at the Knoll Pins ‘cave’. • Assessing the density of ‘delicate’ species in near-shore areas off the east coast. • Annual deployment & recovery of automatic data loggers on the wreck of the MV Robert. • Checking the density of scallops on muddy gravel off the east coast. • Noting the maximum depth of kelp and red algae at various sites. • Describing the seabed topography and communities to the north of Gannets’ Rock. • Searches for the red band fish Cepola rubescens and the mantis shrimp Rissoides desmaresti. • Undertaking Seasearch recording of seabed habitats from various sites. • Assessing the density of daisy anemones Cereus pedunculatus off Brazen Ward • Searching for various ‘rare’ warm water species (including seahorses). • Assessing the colonisation of the new jetty piles. • Assessing the extent of spread of Sargassum muticum in the vicinity of the Landing Bay. Summary reports of the work undertaken each summer at Lundy have been published in the Annual Reports of the Lundy Field Society. CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 1 2. PLANNING........................................................................................................ 2 2.1 Personnel ................................................................................................... 2 2.2 Logistics..................................................................................................... 2 2.2.1 Summaries of the expeditions, 1997 - 2001........................................... 4 3. PROJECTS....................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Studies of the pink sea fan Eunicella verrucosa .................................... 7 3.1.1 Assessing the size structure of sea fans Eunicella verrucosa............... 9 3.1.2 Assessing the condition of sea fans Eunicella verrucosa.................... 12 3.1.3 Checking for the presence of the nudibranch Tritonia nilsodhneri and of the sea fan anemone Amphianthus dohrnii on sea fans................. 19 3.2 Studies of the sunset cup coral Leptopsammia pruvoti ...................... 23 3.2.1 The distribution of populations of Leptopsammia pruvoti off Lundy’s east coast ........................................................................................... 25 3.2.2 Assessing the ‘colonisation’ of Caryophyllia smithii and Leptopsammia pruvoti cup corals by barnacles and phoronid worms 29 3.2.3 Searches for Leptopsammia pruvoti off the west coast, between the Battery and Dead Cow Point .............................................................. 35 3.2.4 Re-photographing circalittoral communities at the Knoll Pins ‘cave’ ... 37 3.3 Other projects .......................................................................................... 40 3.3.1 Assessing the density of ‘delicate’ species (Pentapora, Eunicella and various erect sponge species) in near-shore areas off the east coast 40 3.3.2 Deployment and annual recovery of data loggers on the wreck of the MV Robert and in the Landing Bay..................................................... 46 3.3.3 Checking the density of scallops on muddy gravel off the east coast . 51 3.3.4 Checking the maximum depth of kelp Laminaria hyperborea and red algae at various sites.......................................................................... 54 3.3.5 Describing the sea bed topography and benthic communities to the north of Gannets’ Rock....................................................................... 57 3.3.6 Searches for the red band fish Cepola rubescens, and the mantis shrimp Rissoides desmaresti.............................................................. 70 3.3.7 SEASEARCH recording of seabed habitats from various sites........... 73 3.3.8 Studies on a population of daisy anemones Cereus pedunculatus off Brazen Ward....................................................................................... 75 3.3.9 Looking out for ‘warm water’ species .................................................. 78 3.3.10 Assessing the colonisation of the new jetty piles .............................. 82 Report of the MCS Working Parties to Lundy, 1997-2001 3.3.11 Checking the extent of spread of the non-native seaweed Sargassum muticum in the Landing Bay............................................. 87 4 GENERAL CONCLUSIONS............................................................................. 89 4.1 Assessing the projects undertaken ....................................................... 89 4.2 The planning and logistics of each expedition ..................................... 90 4.3 The continuation of the involvement of volunteer divers at Lundy .... 91 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................ 92 6. REFERENCES................................................................................................ 93 APPENDICES APPENDIX I Volunteer divers taking part in the MCS Lundy expeditions APPENDIX II Projects 1995 - 2001 APPENDIX III Recording Forms (1) Sea fan / sea slug recording form (2) Leptopsammia pruvoti / Boscia / Phoronis recording form (3) Maximum depth of algae recording form (4) Colonisation of jetty piles recording form MAP OF LUNDY Report of the MCS Working Parties to Lundy, 1997-2001 1. INTRODUCTION The waters around the island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel still remain England’s only statutory Marine Nature Reserve (MNR). The statutory Reserve came into existence in November 1986, though there had been a voluntary marine nature reserve around the island since 1973 (also being the first such reserve in the country). The MNR has been managed since 1991 (post-Nature Conservancy Council) by English Nature, in co-operation with the Devon Sea Fisheries Committee (responsible for making bylaws relating to fishing and to fisheries throughout Devon waters) and the Landmark Trust (which leases the island from the National Trust). Further information about the history of Lundy’s marine nature reserves is provided by Irving & Gilliland (1997). For the past ten years, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has organised a programme of summer dives for their members throughout the country. Most of these are simply for recreational purposes and are either for one day or two days over a weekend. They provide an opportunity for like-minded people to meet up and share their enthusiasm for marine life in interesting locations. Since 1995, groups of MCS volunteers have had the